It is common knowledge that actuating devices are commonly used in vehicles to transmit actuating movements to actuators. This may include a shutter device for a vehicle's radiator grille. This type of actuator is used to move back and forth between at least two positions. As is typical, an actuating drive is provided which generates the corresponding actuating movement for the actuator. The servomotor (usually an electric motor) generates the required force to carry out this positioning movement. A sensor device is normally included with conventional actuating devices to ensure that the actuating movement is actually carried out as intended and to control or even regulate the actuating movement. The sensor device is part of the actuating drive. Thus, it can ensure that the actuating drive performs the actuating movement. This enables the sensor device to provide feedback specifying the current position of the actuating drive.
A disadvantage of conventional solutions is that the only method that can be employed by the sensor device to record feedback regarding the real actuating position of the actuator is extremely indirect. This means that the end point and real actuating position are not recorded by the sensor device. Instead, this device records the correlating actuating position at the other end of the drive chain (namely, the actuating drive). Accordingly, any negative interference that may be present during transmission of the actuating movement from the actuating drive to the actuator is not recorded by conventional sensor devices. In the worst case scenario, this can cause issues such as a mechanical defect in a transmission device between the actuating drive and actuator in the form of a rupture. In such cases, although the actuating drive can still carry out the actuating movement without any issues, the actuator can no longer move from its current, corresponding actuating position. As a result, this defect cannot be detected by conventional actuating devices and the corresponding sensor device.